Just a bunch of rambling....
First off, after clearing eight garbage bags of clothes out of my closet, my friend and I were finally ready to convert my one closet into my home work space! I'll put photos on my Facebook page. Check it out! I am so excited about it!!
This isn't really on topic either (for this month's theme) but I posted about a month ago that I was inviting some neighbor's over for a Bible Study. We met and it was awesome! We had a great time and I think it's going to be fun making some new friends. We are a mix - some strong Christians, some just curious, and a self-proclaimed agnostic, so it should prove to be a great ground for discussion. Plus, it's fun to get together with my neighbors, who I would otherwise not see!
On to other topics, I am thinking ahead for December's Princess challenge, Respecting the King. What a great way to remember the true meaning of the season. I'm going to focus on ways to put Jesus back into Christmas in my own life. I'll keep you posted. What are some of your ideas?
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Guilty
So I blew it yesterday.
I'm working on being more humble this month, and mostly I'm working on keeping my mouth shut. As my mom says "If you don't have anything good to say, it's better not to say anything at all." Or my grandma, who used to say "You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar." Not sure if those two relate, but you get the point. Anyway, the family was driving me crazy, I was sleep deprived, and I had a HUGE scheduling conflict I was trying to resolve that was going to make me lose $45 if I didn't get it resolved. Plus, I was trying to wash dishes and the faucet has this annoying whine to it that hurts my ears when the water runs. (We really need to get that fixed.) People wouldn't stop complaining and asking me for things and I finally got really upset and told them all what I thought about them. In a not-so-gentle voice.
(To be fair, though, I did warn the kids several times they had pushed me to my boiling point and Momma was about to explode.)
But really, is that anyway to handle things? When a princess loses her cool doesn't that make her look weak? (And scary!) I don't want to run the household by fear. Yes, it works, but no, it isn't fun - for any of us.
I'm just thankful I get a redo. Here's to a better day and a bit more self-control, while at the same time giving myself a break. I am, after all, imperfectly human.
I'm working on being more humble this month, and mostly I'm working on keeping my mouth shut. As my mom says "If you don't have anything good to say, it's better not to say anything at all." Or my grandma, who used to say "You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar." Not sure if those two relate, but you get the point. Anyway, the family was driving me crazy, I was sleep deprived, and I had a HUGE scheduling conflict I was trying to resolve that was going to make me lose $45 if I didn't get it resolved. Plus, I was trying to wash dishes and the faucet has this annoying whine to it that hurts my ears when the water runs. (We really need to get that fixed.) People wouldn't stop complaining and asking me for things and I finally got really upset and told them all what I thought about them. In a not-so-gentle voice.
(To be fair, though, I did warn the kids several times they had pushed me to my boiling point and Momma was about to explode.)
But really, is that anyway to handle things? When a princess loses her cool doesn't that make her look weak? (And scary!) I don't want to run the household by fear. Yes, it works, but no, it isn't fun - for any of us.
I'm just thankful I get a redo. Here's to a better day and a bit more self-control, while at the same time giving myself a break. I am, after all, imperfectly human.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Princesses by Station, Humble by Grace
A lot could be said about not abusing our power in our roles, especially in light of this political campaign season. We don't want to take for granted who we are, and Whose we are. Because of the sacrificial death of Jesus, we entered into the Kingdom of God through a price. This makes us children of God, but it should also humble us with the realization that we didn't get here by who we are. We got here only through grace.
Sometimes it's hard to be humble, especially when we know we are right. :-)
For Lent this year, I gave up being angry at my husband, which really boiled down to me not having to be right all the time - even when I was. By keeping my mouth shut, and letting go of control issues, I saw some amazing positive changes in my marriage and the muscle tension in my neck. So, in light of this month's theme, "Not Abusing Our Power", I'm going to remember that I'm God's child and a princess by right, and don't have to prove it to anybody, so I will try to be humble, especially in what I say. I will try to give up being right and rest on the promises of God, knowing that He is in control and it will all turn out okay in the end.
It's gonna be a long month!
Sometimes it's hard to be humble, especially when we know we are right. :-)
For Lent this year, I gave up being angry at my husband, which really boiled down to me not having to be right all the time - even when I was. By keeping my mouth shut, and letting go of control issues, I saw some amazing positive changes in my marriage and the muscle tension in my neck. So, in light of this month's theme, "Not Abusing Our Power", I'm going to remember that I'm God's child and a princess by right, and don't have to prove it to anybody, so I will try to be humble, especially in what I say. I will try to give up being right and rest on the promises of God, knowing that He is in control and it will all turn out okay in the end.
It's gonna be a long month!
For by grace are ye
saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: not
of works, least any man should boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Update on the Bible Study
I handed out fliers for the neighborhood Bible study and
have had several positive responses!
How exciting! It took me an
hour and a half just to get around to half the houses because people wanted to
talk. I’m already getting to know
my neighbors! This is turning out
to be fun, so far, and now that I know people are actually coming it gives me
incentive to clean the house. LOL!!!
Monday, October 15, 2012
Neighbors
I am going to start a neighborhood Bible study. I've felt God calling me in that direction for quite awhile and what better time to begin than during the month of October when my Princess Project theme is sharing knowledge with others? So I thought I'd start out by sharing what I know best: that God loves each and every one of us and has a special plan for our lives.
This is way out of my comfort zone because I'm not social by nature. I've lived in this neighborhood for 15 years and don't even know some of my neighbors' names. But....God is asking me to try to get to know them better and tell them about Him. So I have collected a bunch of "neighborhood Bible study" books (they are actually called that!) and am going to invite friends over for coffee and let them pick a book. It'll be interesting to see what happens.
I read about a woman who felt God calling her to go sing at a nursing home. When she got ready to perform, only three women showed up. Two fell asleep. The third adjusted her hearing aid every time she began a new song and said loudly "Oh no! Does she have to sing another one?" But the singer was obedient to God's calling and that's what counts.
It may just be me and the goldfish that first Bible study, but I find that when I listen to God's prompting, amazing things happen. I'll keep you posted.
Have you ever done anything outside of your comfort zone? Tell me about it!
This is way out of my comfort zone because I'm not social by nature. I've lived in this neighborhood for 15 years and don't even know some of my neighbors' names. But....God is asking me to try to get to know them better and tell them about Him. So I have collected a bunch of "neighborhood Bible study" books (they are actually called that!) and am going to invite friends over for coffee and let them pick a book. It'll be interesting to see what happens.
I read about a woman who felt God calling her to go sing at a nursing home. When she got ready to perform, only three women showed up. Two fell asleep. The third adjusted her hearing aid every time she began a new song and said loudly "Oh no! Does she have to sing another one?" But the singer was obedient to God's calling and that's what counts.
It may just be me and the goldfish that first Bible study, but I find that when I listen to God's prompting, amazing things happen. I'll keep you posted.
Have you ever done anything outside of your comfort zone? Tell me about it!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Being Helped
This months topic has been "Helping Others" which I think is an important part of being a princess. But I am also letting someone help ME. I am buried under clutter, and while I have great ideas of what I want to do, it all seems like too much to handle. So my friend has decided to come help me next week. She is organization guru (you should see her house!) and I am thrilled to have her fresh pair of eyes land on my mountain of mess and tell me where to put it.
I obviously need some help. Today I cleaned out underneath the china cabinet so I could store the cake plate there. I then cleaned out the cabinet where the cake plate has resided for the past 14 years, and moved fresh dishes into there, since the cake plate is now removed. Problem is, I just discovered the cake plate doesn't fit into the china cabinet.
Maybe I should have measured first.
So you see? I need help. I've thrown my hands up in the air and given up on organizing for writing, something I am much more comfortable doing. I'll let my friend organize me. :-)
Do you have any good organizing tips for me?
I obviously need some help. Today I cleaned out underneath the china cabinet so I could store the cake plate there. I then cleaned out the cabinet where the cake plate has resided for the past 14 years, and moved fresh dishes into there, since the cake plate is now removed. Problem is, I just discovered the cake plate doesn't fit into the china cabinet.
Maybe I should have measured first.
So you see? I need help. I've thrown my hands up in the air and given up on organizing for writing, something I am much more comfortable doing. I'll let my friend organize me. :-)
Do you have any good organizing tips for me?
Two are better than
one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the
man who falls and has no one to help him up! - Ecclesiastes 4:10-11
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Princessing....
It seems I get carried away with the princess thing in the summer. I've been hanging out at the beach, writing fiction, playing with the kids, and basically NOT posting to my blog! When my mom called the other day my husband (my earthly prince) was cooking dinner and I was on the porch swing, reading. "I'll tell the princess you want to talk to her," he said. Hmmm.
In all truth, I am the carpool queen and have been driving various kids to various events, cooking (most) of the dinners, and worn myself plum out. But it has been fun to slack off of work a little bit (except for my clients - you I haven't slacked on!) and be a princess. So all of this to say why I haven't posted more on Mary M. Working on it.....at the beach. :-)
In all truth, I am the carpool queen and have been driving various kids to various events, cooking (most) of the dinners, and worn myself plum out. But it has been fun to slack off of work a little bit (except for my clients - you I haven't slacked on!) and be a princess. So all of this to say why I haven't posted more on Mary M. Working on it.....at the beach. :-)
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